Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve on Tuesday claimed that 6,740 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra during tenure of the Mahayuti Government, from July 1, 2022, to November 30, 2024. Danve made these comments while replying to the Governor’s address in the Legislative Council. He blamed the State Government’s policies for the worsening condition of farmers and alleged that the Government is ignoring their issues. Danve also claimed that the highest number of suicides occurred in the Nagpur and Amravati districts of the State. Danve pointed out that the Government had promised a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 6,000 per quintal for cotton, but farmers have still not received it. He also underlined the Government’s failure in meeting the demand for solar pumps. While farmers had asked for 12 lakh solar pumps, only 1.39 lakh pumps have been delivered, according to Danve.

 

He demanded the creation of a separate department for solar pumps to better serve farmers. Danve also raised concerns about Maharashtra’s growing debt, which he said has reached Rs eight lakh crore. He argued that this financial burden has slowed down the State’s development and prevented investment in important areas like agriculture and rural development. Additionally, Danve accused the Mahayuti Government of not following the principles of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He reminded the Government about the incident where the statue of Shivaji Maharaj fell within seven months of its construction. He also called for the implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and suggested adding the Ujjwala Scheme to the Annapurna Scheme, as many beneficiaries cannot afford LPG cylinders due to high prices. He further noted that no major irrigation project has been completed in Maharashtra in the past 10 years.